


Backseat Love

by delicatelingon



Category: Good Girls (TV)
Genre: F/M, Good Girls Prompt-a-thon 2020 GGPAT20
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:15:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24147265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delicatelingon/pseuds/delicatelingon
Summary: Prompt from Good Girls Prompt-a-thon 2020Sequel to Quelqu un ma dit (Someone told me)(this feels ficcy but maybe not definitely!) Beth's kids (maybe just the littlest) hear rio calling Beth 'ma' or 'mama' and think he's confused, and are at pains to explain to him that she is not his mother
Relationships: Beth Boland/Rio
Comments: 37
Kudos: 265





	1. Chapter 1

It had all gone to shit. Why couldn’t she keep her fuckin’ mouth shut just once?

He was currently riding shotgun, with Mick driving like madman down an empty dirt road, all while Rio was hanging out of the window, firing off bullets.

“Stay down.” He says, directed at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth had been laying across the backseat, staying out of firing range in case the guys that were following them managed to get a clear shot through the window.

“And put your seatbelt on.”

“I don’t get why your giving me such a hard time. It wasn’t my fault. I didn’t even want to come.”

Things weren’t exactly peachy between them, so she fails to understand to why he keeps telling her to tag along.

Her answer only has Rio grunting in response.

Mick’s cussing, the car slides from side to side on the rolling gravel, as he tries to fend off the wheels spinning, not getting enough friction.  
Driving Rio's ridiculous over-sized car, he knows for a fact Rhea had mocked him the first time she saw it.

He decides to cut across the field instead. The car rocking violently, he can see Beth holding on as she is laying down in the backseat, as he checks the rearview mirror after the car that’s following them.

“Hold on.”

Mick warns her as the car does a small jump onto the main road leading them back into the city. His plan seemingly worked. The _other bad guys_ , just the thought has him snickering to himself, he sees Rio shooting him a look, they follow but as they aren’t driving what’s close to a jeep. They get stuck out on the field.

“Whoooah!” Mick lets out a shout.

Adrenaline has him flying high right now, loving the rush of the way his heart beats wildly. This is part of the reason why he chose to do what he does.

He looks over to Rio, almost looking like a reflection of himself, eyes wide open, a smile on his lips.

Even Beth has sat up. She’s looking a little lost and a little wild, but she can’t help the smile when she tells them,

“You guys are insane.”

“Come on ma’, don’t tell me that wasn’t a little bit fun.” Rio glances back at her, before he starts fiddling with the radio.

In which she just shakes her head in response, a small smile painting her lips.

“Like I said, you guys are insane.”

They ride to the beat of some Spanish hip hop artist spitting out lyrics. Beth can vaguely make out some of what it means, having taken Spanish in high school, as all high school kids she had gotten the swearwords down to a tee.

She searches the backseat to find her phone, and when she does, she presses the side button and it illuminates with the time.

“Shit!” She motions for Rio to turn the volume low.

“It’s late, Annie’s babysitting and got a shift at the gas station and I promised I’d get takeaway for the bunch.” She can't help the slight hint of whining in her voice.

Mick's and Rio's fists had taken over the talking when it became apparent it was a set up, then there had been some back up guys, coming in with guns blazing having her cover behind some oil barrels. Rio had managed to grab her and all but carried her out with and arm around her waist. She'd completely forgotten about Annie, she was proberbly stress-eating all of Beth's secret chocolate stash, being both worried and pissed off when Beth hadn't answered her calls.

All it takes for Rio is to nod slightly at Mick and he knows exactly what to do and where they’re getting food from.  
The release of the fight seemingly leaving his boss in a good mood, Rio’s on the phone in the heartbeat, shutting the radio off as he calls in a pizza order.

They’re even later to Beth's house. Beth has been texting non- stop with Annie, having already left. Her kids are old enough to be alone for a short time, the older two helping with looking after the younger ones.

She pauses in the car, Mick and Rio already exited, bantering when she’s out of earshot. Looking at herself in the rearview mirror from the backseat, hoping her kids won’t be able to tell she’s been in a gunfight tonight.

  
Rio raps his knuckles on the window, telling her to hurry up.

Walking up to the house Beth takes the lead. She opens the front door only to close it swiftly, turning around to look at Mick and Rio, thinking, _this isn’t a good idea_.

“They know us.” Rio reassures her but ultimately leaving it up to her to decide, it’s one thing showing up every now and then unannounced, another to invite themselves to a dinner.

Well, _not really,_ he decides and motions her to get on with it.

“Fine.” It wins her over because they do.

“Wash up before they see you, and you’ve got a split lip.” Beth tells Rio, lingering a beat too long with her gaze before she turns around and enters the house.

“Kids, I’m home! I brought dinner, so wash up and get your little butts’ downstairs.” 

  
Mick’s juggling the large pizza boxes. Pizzas he claims _are to die for_. Setting them down, then scurrying away to wash up before the kids see him. As Rio’s washed up before Mick, he leaves Mick to scrub his knuckles. Elizabeth is upstairs checking on the kids as he tinkers around the kitchen trying to find plates and glasses for them and the kids.

“Hi Mr. Rio.” The older girl is in her pajamas, smiling shyly at Rio.

“Hi Emma, all’s good?”

“Yep.” She says with a smile.

“Is your ma’ and the rest of the bunch ready to eat? We don’t want the pizza to get cold.”

It’s Beth who answers as she enters the kitchen, “They’re on their way, they wanted to eat it in PJ’s, which is fine by me, it’s gotten late.”

He gives her a little nod in response, “Mama, what do you want for drinks?” Rio asks her.

Beth’s busy tidying up, head stuck in the pantry to get the napkins. She swears a little to herself, she bets Deans just jammed the pantry full of odd bits and bobs instead of doing it the right way. _Her way._ So, she doesn’t register the first time Rio asks her.

“Ma, what should I get for drinks?”

“Oh, nothing with sugar, there’s some sparkling water in the fridge, that’ll be fine.”

“But, maaaaama,” Emma whines.

“No. It’s too late.” She says with a stern tone.

“Listen to your ma’.” Rio backs her up. Elizabeth's kids are good kids and well- mannered. That doesn’t mean they won't act the way all kids do when they get a bit tired.

Janes a whirlwind and Emma’s the observer of the two girls. He can tell Emma’s trying to work up the courage to say something, 

“What’s what, little one?”

“Why do you think my mom’s your mom too?” She asks. 

“Why do I think your mom’s my mom?” He repeats the question to make sure he fully understands it, he sees Mick entering, smiling a little at the question.

“Yes. You call her ma’. Same as me.” The look she gives him is almost pitiful. Like it pains her that she might have to reveal to him she's not. 

”It’s a pet name. A term of endearment.” He says, shrugging casually.

"I'm pretty sure your mom's got all kind of nicknames for you, as you do for loved ones." He tries explaining.

He just watches Emma watch him, and in his periphery he sees Beth's mouth fall open, forming an "o" and a soft pink blush tint her cheeks.

Realizing what he just said,

Fuck. _Fuck._

“You like my mama?”

_Oh, fuck._

_He pretends he doesn’t hear Mick snickering as the rest of the hoard comes down the stairs, conversation forgotten._


	2. Homeslice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By popular demand I decided to write a second chapter. (And by popular demand there was literally one person that asked me to continue it. I'm easily swayed.)

Backseat Love Part II

Rio’s got a good groove going today, he had just closed a deal that’ll make him a lot of money and gotten him a new ally.  
He’s driving down the street in suburbia- town, ready to fill Elizabeth in on what it’ll mean for her. Sure, she might put up a fuzz at first, but it’ll be a good thing for both of them, he might not just tell her just how much money _he’ll_ be getting out of the new deal.

The windows are down, and it creates a soothing breeze against his skin as he steers his car through her white neighborhood. Sun is out and it’s been a hot day, finally the afternoon seam to offer a coolness, bringing in some fresh air.  
His car stands out in this neighborhood, _he_ stands out in this neighborhood. Absently he greets the folks that looks up as he drives by, resting his hand against the windowsill of the car raising it just a little as a greeting.  
So far no one has greeted him back, it might be because of the tone of his skin is paired with the tattoo across his throat, or it may not, in any case, they just stare at him for the seconds it takes for him to drive by.

When he’s parked, Elizabeth's driveway is empty and there is a spring in his step as he takes long stride, finds the hideaway key by the door and let’s himself inside.  
He figures that if he’s lucky she won’t notice his car parked further down the street, he’ll wait for her and maybe for old times sake he can make her yelp in surprise.

What he wasn’t prepared for was that his spot on the kitchen island is already taken, by someone’s annoying little sister.  
_That’s my spot_ , he thinks, he almost says that too, but realize he’d sound a little bit too much like Sheldon.

“Sup, Gangfriend?” Annie greets him, snacking away at some trail-mix she found in one of Beth’s cabinets.

He doesn’t respond just growls a little, how’s he now supposed to get one up on Elizabeth?

Leaning against the wall opposite Annie, he pointily ignores her.

“What, you prefer homeboy? Homeslice?”

He grabs his phone, it's tucked in one of his back pockets, unlocks it and starts scrolling through his feed.

“No.” He can’t help if he sounds a little bit petulant.

His short answer doesn’t even portray half of what he tries to tell her. Shut the fuck up, for one, stop giving me shitty nicknames, we’re not on a nickname basis, a third.

Annie regards him. She too had anticipated the joys on getting one up on Beth. ‘Cause it was hard, damnit, it was hard getting things past her.  
Gangfriend being here would take the spotlight away from her and lately Beth been on top of her for hanging out with her therapist.  
She needed a win.  
Reminding Beth to shake loose a little, she too fucked up from time to time.

  
And Ben was with his dad, so what better time to come hang out with the Boland’s for the evening?

Putting on her sweet voice, the one she does when she imitates Beth, mocking her,

“really, you should be flattered,” she tells him.

Rolling her eyes at him, ‘cause she knows stuff about him. Stuff that makes him a little less intimidating and a lot more embarrassing for breaking into Beth's house, waiting for her.

 _So obvious_ , she thinks.

When he looks up at her, wondering to himself where this newfound self-esteem comes from, he regards her for talking back to him.

With a snort she tells him, “it’s a term of endearment,” sarcasm dripping around the edges.

He rocks his jaw back and forth a few times while he thinks and he doesn’t want to ask, but when it comes to her, he can’t help himself.

“Did Elizabeth tell you that?”

A smile tugs the corner of her mouth, now that he’s not as scary anymore, she finds him amusing.  
Eventually she decides to put him out of his misery,

“no, Mick told me.”

That has him raising his eyebrows at her in disbelief.

“What? We talk from time to time,” she says defensively. 

She thinks to herself, _mainly we talk about you two numbnuts, how you're getting on everyone’s nerves._

They lock eyes for what feels like eternity and Annie briefly wonders if she overstepped too much, thinking she’d be safe in her sister’s kitchen.

  
That’s when they hear the front door being unlocked and Beth stepping inside, shutting in with a smack, probably using her hip to shut it.  
They can hear her humming to herself as she walks through the hallway, both Annie and Rio simultaneously seems to be holding their breathes as she comes into view.

“Gaaah!!” Beth lets out a loud gasp, drops whatever bags she was carrying, to clutch her heart and close her eyes.

For a few moments everyone stands still. It's quiet, except for Beth’s harsh breathes of fury.

She opens her eyes and tells them, “What. The. Fuck.”

Rio and Annie both gives her their shitting- eating grins and shares a look between them that says, _mission accomplished_.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so messy! Messy to write, messy to convey what I wanted. Sometimes you know exactly what you want to say but it just comes out wrong.  
> I hope it's readable and makes sense.

Backseat Love Part III

Annie’s upstairs neighbor seemed to be doing some violent baking by the noises filtering down to her. She groans, last night she’d thrown a pity-party for herself. Ben was staying at her ex and she was all alone.

With half open eyes she stumbles into her bathroom, pees and then goes to fetch a broom. With the broom in hand she climbs on top off her bed, hits her ceiling a few times and yells, “knock it off!!”

Whatever scraping had been going on stopped. For a peacefully few seconds, it was completely silent and the pounding in her head seemed to ebb away.  
Suddenly music was blasting, and they seemed to be jumping up and down in retaliation. Hitting the ceiling a few times more with the stick end, she aborts the mission, accepting defeat.

Taking a quick shower, brushing her teeth at the same time, because _why wouldn’t you?_

Raiding the empty fridge of it’s last remains, she needed to go get groceries before Ben came back.

Half laying on the couch she is scrolling through her phones latest incoming texts, apparently, she had been drunk texting.

Sending Mick a quick text, “Sup?”

Mick replies in an instant, “On drop duty. You?”

“Just got up.”

“At 2?” He was a man of few words.

“So?”

He didn’t reply to that, so she sent him a second one.

“Want company?”

“No.”

She stared annoyed at the phone, willing him to change he’s mind.

Seemingly to be sense what she was doing, a few short messages came through saying the same thing.

“No.”

“ _No_.”

“Pleeeeeeeease?” Hoping she came across as whiny as she felt.

“I’ll be there in 10.”

“So soon?”

He didn’t reply to her latest text.

* * *

Mick can’t help the groan that escapes him when he sees his boss and comrade up and leave his seat at the table.

The plan had been for Rio to pick up Mrs. B for lunch and to have a business meeting. Mick hade been riding in the back, _like a fuckin’ child_ , forced to stay close “just in case”.

 _In case of what?_ Mick had silently thought, but he knew better then to question him.

It didn’t take long until apparently Mrs. B said something to piss his boss off, dropping his cutlery midair as he was about to take another bite of his quiche.  
He left the table, all while she looked bewildered at his retreating back, as if she was thinking, _what did I do this time?_

Mick didn’t even try to stop his eyeroll when Rio walked by from where he was "hanging back", dropping his keys in Mick’s lap as he bounced for the place.  
_Dude_ , Mick thought to himself, _again?_  
He got up out of his seat, sat down in his Boss place, it was still warm from his scrawny ass and ate his quiche. _Hmm._ _Not bad._

Rio didn’t show again, having Mick drop off Mrs. B at work before circling back to get his boss.  
Sometimes Mick thought about what his mom had told him when he was little, doing too many eyerolls could make his eyes get stuck that way.  
  


* * *

Mick parked his boss G Wagon outside Annie’s apartment complex, having dropped Rio off at Lucky’s on his way over.

The short one made for pretty good company and even out his boss shitty mood with light bantering

He _snort- laughed_ and almost choked on some peanuts as Annie had retold the time they held a guy hostage and he had them feed him a burrito all while blindfolded, tied and listening to Phil Collins.  
There were definitely silent tears tracing down his face as he laughed so hard he didn’t make _any sound_ as Annie recounted Ruby’s plan to just “scare” Big Mike a little, accidentally shooting him in the foot first thing.

_Maybe this should be a frequent thing?_ Mick thinks to himself as he checks his gun on reflex, before exiting the car, ready to make another drop.

* * *

Beth was practically vibrating with fury as Mick dropped her off back at the Spa’s. The more she thought about it the more pissed off she was getting, this new thing of his, getting up and leave her in the middle of a conversation.

There had been plans to talk about business throughout lunch, she had scheduled him in her **calendar** , damn it.  
He couldn’t just _leave._

When he text her a little while later to for a meet later at night, if she wasn’t completely sure he hadn’t forgiven her just yet, she’d tell him to stick his phone where the sun don’t shine.

* * *

Rio’s waiting patiently at Lucky’s for Elizabeth to finish their talk from earlier. She’s late and he gives her a few minutes extra before he tries calling her. She’s very rarely late, he figures she might try it as a form of punishment. It rings for a few second, then he’s sent voicemail.

Rio grinds his teeth, he’s pissed that she might have stood him up, and there’s a niggling feeling in the back of his mind that worries him something might have happened.  
That’s a place he doesn’t want to go. He keeps hitting the dial button.

After the eight time she picks up,

“what?” She doesn’t sound too pleased to hear him.

“You're late.” He’s rude. He knows he’s rude, he’s not convinced that everything is as it should.

“I got a flat tire.”

“Where?” He can her the rain pouring down at her, it had been raining all day, but come evening it had only gotten worse.

“I don’t need your help.” She sounds equally annoyed at him as he is with her.

“Elizabeth. Where?” Why does she have to make everything a _thing?_

“Few blocks down from the dealership.”

“I’ll be there in 10.”

“I’ve got it.”

Instead of arguing with her he hangs up.

Pulling up next to her car, she’s stranded on a not so nice street and it has him grinding his teeth again before he slides down his seat and his feet hits the pavement.

She’s got the jack under the car, when he meets her, she spits out,

“I can’t find the tire iron.”

Having changed from earlier, she’s got a hoodie on, pulled up over her hair, the strands that slipped out are wet and clinging to her.

Getting a tire iron from his own car, hovering over her, he balances it between his two hands, watching her and she thinks her brain is _melting._

Beth can’t tear her eyes away from his hands, the way it curls around it, his long fingers adorned by rings that all tells a little piece of who he is.

Breaking out from the spell, when she realizes he’s watching her watch him.

He's eyeing her suspiciously. He can’t read that look she gives him, but he knows it sparks something in him.

_Fuck._

“Thanks, I’ll get it back to you.” She pries it from his hands.

Having pulled his own hoodie up, he stuffs his hand in his front pocket, watching her, “I ain’t leaving.”

“I don’t need your help.”

“I thought something had happened.”

“Something did happen.” She crutches down, trying to loosen the bolts on the wheel.

“Something worse.”

That has her freezing before she resumes pulling.

“Why can’t you ask for help?” She must’ve known he’d seek her out if she didn’t show up for a meet.

_’Cause you’ll never let it go_ , she thinks.

Not being able to get the bolts to budge, Rio motions for her to move her and let him have a try. He works silently has he starts losing the bolts.

“What?” He asks a little to forcefully when he feels her watching.

“Are you mad at me?”

Rio keeps his head down and tries to get to last bult to budge, not wanting to answer.

Beth reaches down for him, laying a hand on his shoulder, feeling first the wet material, then the heat radiating off of him.

“Rio.”

“No.” Not wanting to look up, not wanting to acknowledge to her that he’s not just angry, he’s _hurt._

“Rio.”

Squeezing his shoulder, letting her hand slide down, trailing a warm path down his shoulder blade, reaching for his bicep curling her fingers around it, trying to him to turn around. To look at her.

Bracing when she tries to force him to turn.

He replaces her tire with the extra she’s got in the back of her car. She’s gone quiet, so if he wants to say it he should say it now, before the moment is lost.

She’s packing away the jack and she turns to face him. They’re both completely soaked by now.

“I told you how I felt.” He accuses her.

When she doesn’t respond straight away, he turns to leave.

“I didn’t know if you wanted me to know. You told my daughter Rio. How was I supposed to know you meant it?” She calls out, calling him out.

He looks at her over his shoulder, “I fucking told you that I _loved_ you.”

That has her almost reeling back the raw honesty of his feeling.

“I know. It scared me.”

He huffs and breaks eye contact, shifts and looks down on his feet, the laces of his shoes are wet and long. Her warmth envelopes him from the back, she’s pressing her soft body against his rigid back.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” she whispers into his ear, letting her nose follow the side of his neck, nuzzling.

You’ve been avoiding me, is what he wants to accuse her of, instead what comes out is, “I missed you.”

“I shot you.” Her voice barely carries and she tentatively holds his gaze when he meets hers.

“I know. I know.” He whispers back, he turns around and embraces her, cocoons her in his arms.

His voice goes soft, and when he speaks it's full of emotions, trying to convey what he means without saying much at all. They're both wet from the rain, but having her pressed up against him soothes a pain he didn't know he was carrying.

“It’s just. Damn.

Damn, ma.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep forgetting, come find me on tumblr if you're up for it, or the new GG forum at https://goodgirls.boards.net/  
> I am more then happy to get some constructive feedback on my writing!


End file.
